Automatic hitching mechanism.



S. M. WIFCEL. AUTOMATIC HITCHING Miel-mmm. APPLICATION TILBD DBU. l2, w12.

LU'/Sl Patented Sept. 23, 1913.

latch ymember 50. The hook portion of the keeper latch may. belifted by means of' a `cord attached to the arm 59 thereof, to redrives so as to'stop the wagon with the rear` end thereof straddling the tongue frame of the loader, and in this connection it is to be'noted that it is not necessary that the wagon be brought into alinement with the loader since the supplemental reach can be swung laterally to any extent permitted by the rear wheels of the wagon. The sliding draft link enables the operator lto in effect shorten or lengthen the tongue frame so that the head of the draft link may be adj usted to the draft mechanism on the reach within a. considerable range of movement without moving the wagon or hay loader forwardly or rearwardly. Upon attempting` to latch the parts together, the operator shifts the latch members forwardly upon the pivot t8 of the clogging member, thus freeing them from enga gement with the lug -ftJ and permitting them to be brought to any angle necessarv to coincide .with the draft link. The draft link is nowA adjusted to position and the keeper latch closed to hold it in the socket/ed latch member, whereupon the operator simply drives ahead. The draft of the loader draws the latch-mechanism taut7 and if the latch members are not already in alinement with the dogging member et?, one or the other of the curved surfaces will engage the front side of the lug` 4:9 and\prevent further rearward movement of thelatch members until the loader and wagon are inexact alinement, whereupon the notch 53 will pass into engagement with tl'ieisaid lug and thus lock the loader Ain rigida'linement with the reach. The construction is, however, such that ypivotal movement or iieXure up and down is permitted between the latch mechanism and the draft link, so that in passing over elevations and depressions no strain is brought upon the mechanism.

retractible type and delivers the hay at various points along the length of the wagon. It will be obvious that inasmuch as the rear end of the wagon always trails and pivots about the king bolt at Jthe front bolster, the hay loader trailing and pivoting from a point. nearly coincident with the king bolt.

will maintain. itself approximately in alinement with the wagon. From the-upstanding crank arm 5S) the cord passes forward beneath the hay rack and up in front of same to a point onl rack standard readily accessible to the driver and unhitching the loader from wagon is accomplished by a pull of cord which lifts the latch 57 and releases the draft link.

From the foregoing it will be obvious that* other structure, one of which in its semilatchedl condition is free to oscillate laterally, and `means operating automatically to lock said link and latch members against substantial lateral pivotal movement upon each other when they have been once drawn into alinement with each other. v

2. In combination with a wagon and trailer frame, a hitch mechanism comprising a draft link mounted on one of said structures to shift endwise between definite limits and guided and confined against substantial lateral movement within its mountings7 a socketed latch member and a cooperative keeper latch member mounted upon the other structure, said socketed latch member being in its semi-latched condition free to loscillate laterally upon its mountings, and a ddgging mechanism operating automatically to lock said link and socket and keeper latch members together against substantial lateral pivotal movement upon each other when they have been once drawn into alinement.

3. In combination with a Wagon and a trailer'frame, a hitch mechanism compris' ing a guide socket and a draft link extending' through said socket and 'shiftable end- Wise therein, one end of said draft link being provided with a T-head, a latch member provided with a transverse open socket adapted to receive said T-head, a keeper latch pivotally mounted to vo verlie the T- head and conne it within theA socket, and a dogging member upon which the latch members are movably mounted, said dogging member and one of the latch members having interfitting parts adapted to be brought into engagement when the hitch mechanism is drawn into normal alinement.

et. In combination With a Wagon and a trailer frame, a supplemental reach pivotally connected with the running gear of. the wagon near the front bolster thereof anc. extending backwardly to a point in rear of the rear axle ot' the Wagon, a tongue trame mounted upon the trailer frame and provided 'with a socket, a draft link mounted to shift endwise withinsaid socket and headed at each end, a socketed latch member pivotally mounted upon the rear end of the supplemental reach and adapted to receive one of the headed ends of the draft link, a keeper latch member pivotally mounted upon the socketed latch member adapted to confine the head of the draft link in engage ment With the socketed latch member, and a stationary (logging device mounted upon the supplemental, reach and adapted to hwk said latching mechanism and drat't link against lateral flexure when under draft.

5. hitching mechanism comprising in combination with a leading Vvehicle and a trailer vehicle, a draft link mounted on one ot' said vehicles in a guide affording; limited endwise movement thereof, a coopera tive latch n'iechanism mounted on the other vehicle, and means operating automatically to lock said link and latch mechanism in rigid alinement with each other.

6. A hitching mechanism comprising in ,combination with a leading vehicle and a trailer vehicle, a draft link mounted on one ot' said vehicles in a 2guide affording limited endwise movement thereof, a cooperative latch mechanism mounted on the other vehicle, means operating automatically to lock said link and latch mechanism in rigid alinement with each other, and operative connections extending from the latch n'iechanism to a remote point for releasing" said mechanism.

7. In combination with a vehicle, a Support secured to the vehicle, a frame on said support adapted for lateral oscillatory movement thereon, a draft link secured at one end by said frame, and interlocking mechanism for locking said frame to said. support when said Jframe and support are primarily brought into alinement, and to prevent subsequent relative lateral displace ment of said frame and support.

S. ln combination with a vehicle, a sup port secured thereto, a frame on said support adapted for limited longitudinal move nient and limited lateral oscillatory movement on said support, means on said frame tor securing,r one end ot a dra't't link, and interlocking mechanism remlered elleetivc to lock the lrauie against further oscillatory movement when said trame is in alinen'ient with said support and hasl been shifted lon-v 4i'itudinal ly thereon.

fl. ln combination lwith a leading and trailiup; vehicle, of a draft link extending from the trailingr vehicle, a draft link pivoted to the leadingY Vehicle near the -front bolster thereof and extending rearwardly a distance beyond the rear axle, lah-hing;- mechanism secured to the rear end olf said leading ve- Iiicle ilra'lt link and adapted to receive and to hold the end ot' the trailing;v vehicle dralt lilik, said latching mechanism being pivoted. to itsl supporting dra'tt link tor lateral 0scil lation, and means` operable as soon as said drat't links are brought into alineuient to lock said draft links rigidly in such alinement.

ln witness whereof, l, hereunto subscribe my name this 9th day ol' December, A. D. 1912.

SAMUEL M. WIXCEL.'

Wi tnesses:

llamar Z. limnmAN, Fnovn S. lSAnNns. 

